Nicki Copley

Benches are far more than just places to sit. They serve as an essential interface between people and the outdoor environment, embodying both function and design while contributing to the broader experience of a space.

Biodiversity is essential to human health, economic prosperity, and well-being, yet it is alarmingly imperiled. Up to one million species are threatened by extinction, primarily resulting from the loss of habitat due to human development. Climate change is also now a major driver for biodiversity loss and species will face greater threats with every degree of warming.

The LA_B glossary is an alphabetical list of terms + concepts with accompanying definitions that landscape architects/designers and students may find useful in their practice and study. Many terms also have links to online resources to learn more. 

Traditional, or historic methods of stormwater management involve fast conveyance; runoff is transported rapidly through pipes into streams, rivers, and wetlands. And although these systems can be efficient, they are not resilient to large rainfall events where the volume of water entering the pipe and stream network can exceed a system’s designed capacity.

While many people have heard the term ‘landscape architecture’, misconceptions about the breadth/depth of the discipline and profession are common. People often default to thinking of landscape architecture as garden design and not wrongly; many very talented landscape architects design gardens. However, the field of landscape architecture is much larger than gardens alone, with many different avenues of theory and practice.